Bella Thorne on How Her Cuban Roots Have Influenced Her Personality

It’s obvious that Bella Thorne, 17, is a beauty. But these days she’s also become a genuine beauty icon. Whether she’s all dolled up sitting front row at New York Fashion Week or caught off-duty with perfectly undone waves, her look is always inspiring. The Florida native, the youngest spokesperson ever for Neutrogena, is also super regimented about her skin care routine; she was in the middle of washing her face when we called! And another thing you might not know about the Disney queen turned movie star (she recently played bitchy Madison in The Duff ), author of the novel *Autumn Falls *(it’s the first book in her young-adult trilogy), and pop singer? She’s a proud Latina. “When my mom was mad at me when I was growing up, she would call me by my full name in Spanish—Annabella,” says Thorne, who is part Cuban. Here’s how the redhead is proving that being Latina doesn’t mean you fit into one box…ever.

__GLAM BELLEZA LATINA:__You’ve said people don’t believe you’re part Cuban. How do you respond?

__BELLA THORNE:__To me, being Latin is about more than your looks—it’s how you’re brought up. I was raised in a very Latin family. My first language was Spanish, but I had to drop it when I started school because of my dyslexia. I still understand it, though, especially since my mom uses Spanish to tell me to take out the trash or do the dishes!

__GBL:__Do you have a favorite Cuban dish?

BT: One of my favorite desserts is tres leches cake. It’s so good, but I can only make Top Ramen.

__GBL:__How has being a Latina affected your personality?

__BT:__I’m spicy! That means I’m very quick and I tell it like it is. Latins will call you out if something is not right, and I think that’s important.

GBL: Let’s talk about that signature red hair of yours. You were born blond; will you ever go back?

BT: It’s harder to be matched with actors to play my parents, but I love the red. I let my hairstylist [Rona O’Connor at Lukaro Salon in Beverly Hills] do whatever she wants. I really trust her.

__GBL:__Are there any beauty products you won’t leave home without?

__BT:__I always have my Neutrogena lip balm. If I don’t, my lips get so chapped—it’s not a cute look.

GBL: What about fragrance?

__BT:__I’m obsessed with perfume! To me, one of the best compliments is “You smell so good.” I actually want to make a really good perfume, a lemon-and-vanilla-scented one, because I love sweet scents. How awesome does that sound?

__GBL:__Pretty awesome. You’ve accomplished so much at a young age. Where do you see yourself down the line?

__BT:__I want to keep making movies, hopefully with some nominations, if I’m lucky! Movies that make people feel something, where they walk away and say, “Gosh, she’s different.”